LINDEN, MI -- Nick Douglass has worked as Denny Hopkins' right-hand-man the past six years. The two coaches will now share the same title when football season begins this fall, as Douglass was promoted to co-head coach of the Linden varsity football team this week.

Douglass has been a varsity football assistant for Hopkins the past six seasons -- working with the JV team for four years prior -- and also has been a basketball assistant for Hopkins the past 10 years.

“In terms of the program I really don’t think anything will change,” Douglass said. “Denny and I have both being working side-by-side for a long time, they just gave me the label. It wasn’t something I asked for, just an acknowledgement of recognition by the district I guess.”

Hopkins surpassed 100 career victories as a football coach last season, his 15th at Linden, and helped guide the Eagles to a 9-2 record. Douglass worked primarily with the team’s wide receivers and defensive backs but says there won’t be any change of style that comes with his promotion.

“Denny and I always worked together on everything so this isn’t any big adjustment or change,” Douglass said. “Sometimes with a football program a head coach will have his assistants handle one thing and he’ll handle something else, but that’s not the case with our program.

“I can’t tell you how many times Denny and I have been thinking over something and came up with identical ideas. Like scary identical. We’ve always been completely on the same page.”

Linden won a district championship in 2011 before challenging for a Flint Metro League title this year and being eliminated by DeWitt in a six-overtime district final.

“I feel like the last two years have really been a big step forward within our program,” Douglass said. “You go back a few years before that and it was similar, but things just feel a little different now. It’s not to speak negatively of the previous teams, but I think there’s really been some progression made the last two years.”

The overtime loss to DeWitt is still sitting with Douglass and the rest of the Linden football program. It’s got the Eagles anxious to get back on the field.

“Oh yeah, that’s one of those games that will stick with you for a lifetime,” Douglass said. “Not that losing in the playoffs means less any other year, but to go six overtimes in the longest playoff game in MHSAA history leaves a little bit of a pit in your stomach longer than other losses. I know our kids are ready to get back out there, they’ve taken some pretty big steps, so I’m really looking forward to this season.”